Incubating apparatus.



W. E. MAYNARD. INGUBATING APPARATUS,

APPLIOATION HLBD 00T. 1, 1909.

981,097.` Patented 11111.10, 1911.

w. E. MAYNARD.

INGUBATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. l, 1909.

Patented Jail. 10, 1911.

2 sugars-SHEET 2.

' ventilation is attempted no means are prothe chamber, but this arrangement possesses WILBUB E. MAYNARD, OF NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

INCUBATING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application ined octdber 1,

Patented Jan. 1o, 1911.

1909. Serial No. 520,529.

To all 'wwm it may concern:

Be it known that I, "iLisUR E. MAYNAnD, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Northampton, county of Hampshire, State of Massachusetts, ha \e invented an Improvement in Incubating Apparatus, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification,

-like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention has for its object the production of an improved incubating apparatus, whereby the operation is increased in efiiciency and a more perfect control is secured.

In the proper operation of incubating apparatus the temperature of the incubating chamber must he kept at a relatively high point, and at the same time a current of fresh air should be maintained in circulation through said chamber,I to properly ventilate it and providealso the requisite amount of oxygen. At present it is common to supply the incubating chamber with heated air, but so far as I am laware it has been a dry air,

`many persons using such apparatus maintaining that inoisture is detrimental to the incubation process. In such apparatus the temperature of the air supplied to the chamber is high in order that the egg chamber or compartment may be heated, and this.air is depended upon to supply with oxygen the embryo chick during incubation, but if this hot air were permitted to circulate freely about the eggs and pass out of the chamber 1 the eggs would be so dried that the chicks would die in the shell. While there may be sufficient moisture in the egg, if retained, to bring the chick to the hatching point, the

growing embryo suffersfrom lack of oxy gen because of the almost imperceptible air circulation, and as a'iesult the chicken develops anemia. Hot water incubators do not supply sufficient ventilation, partly for reasons above stated and partly because when vided to properly warm the incoming air, resulting in a cold draft at the inlet of the chamber and overheating at the outlet.

It has been proposed to create a moist :1tn iosphere in the egg chamber by placing trays 0f water or wet sand in theglbottom of little-value, for if the ventilation is at' or near the bottom of the chamber', where it should be, the moist air is immediately` forced out through the Aventilators instead of passing up and around the eggs. To retard the ventilation in order to saturate the atmosphere of the egg chamber would be fatal to the growing chick, and the humidity cannot be regulated. i I

ln artificial incubation it is necessary to so control the evaporation that the eggs lose about 1332, af the original weight, which is about the loss which takes place under the i.

hen in natural incubation, and this result would be attained if in the incubating chainber the saine high degree of humidity bc maintained as exists under the hen in natural incubation.

As the result of many experiments in the line of artificial incubation I am convinced that an abundance of fresh, air in the in -icubatingr chamber is absolutely'necessary for the proper growth of the healthy chicken, 'as

a plentiful supply of oxygen for the nourislnnent of the growing tissues of the chick is of vital importance. I have found that most satisfactory results are secured by supplying the incubating chamber with fresh moist and heated air, preferably moistened prior toits entrance to the chamber, and maintaining a constant but gent-le circulation of theair, thereby providing an ample supply of oxygen while effectively Ventilating the chamber. This moistening I effect by drawing the fresh cool air from the atmosphere over a body of heated water, so that the moisture given off byevaporation of the water is taken up by the air, the latter being thereafter heated prior to its introduction to the incubating chamber.

As the humidity of the-air in the chamber should not become too great I have provided a hygroscopically-governed controlling device Which determines automatically the relative proportions of 'fresh air, both moist and dry, admittedto the air-heating,rdevice,

l f e and by the term dry air I' mean an taken directly fi'om the outside of the apparatus and not subjected to 'any artificial moistening. 'l'he moist,'heated air is supplied to the chamber at'. one end thereof, near the top, in 'ny presenty invention, and passes from the chamber through an outlet which is always open, the air'as `it cools in the chamber descending and passing through the outlet, which is near the bottom of the chamber at a distance from the hot air inlet, maintaining the circulation and ventilation.

I heat the chamber independently of the ...,.aQw-tw c...

air supplied thereto, and as herein shown by a hot-water circulation system which herein comprises a radlator within and at the top ot' the incubating chamber., an external hot-A the following claims.

lfigure 1 a longitudinal sectional view ot an incubating apparatus embodying one form ot' my present invention; Fig. 2 is a part plan and horizontal sectional view thereot', on the line Q-2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a transverse section on the line 3-3, Fig. l.

In the drawings A. is the incubating chamber shown as rectangulanin shape, and of any suitable construction, one ot its end walls 2 having an air outlet 3 near the hottom, the incubating chamber having therein a suitable egg tray or shelf B. `Near the top 1 of the chamber I mount a radiator comprising connecting pipes 1 and cerner pieces 5, best shown in Fig. 2, the corner pieces being conveniently made as castings, and given enlarged heating surfaces at the corners to better provide t'or the thorough diffusion of the heat.

In niv present invention, the heating of 'the incubating chamber is etl'ected by a hot water circulation s steinwhieh comprises the radiator referre to, a hot water heating device to be described, nd having its outlet connected with the radiator at one end and a return pipe or conduit 5", 6 connecting the opposite end of the radiator and the inlet of the heater. The part 5* ot' the return pipe is extended through the end wall i2 ofthe chamber at substantially the center thereof. and passesv down below the bottom of said chamber, the horizontal portion ti of the return pipe traversing the bottomofa'nevaporating tank T, suitably secured to the bottom of the incubating chamber-and evtendiug from one to the other cud thereof, as herein shown.

The evaporating tank vor chamber 7`is shaped in cross-stadion. as shown in Fig. 2., and in practice will be kept [illedwith a body ot water S. leaving an air space or passage 9 'between the surface of the water and the bottom ot the chamber, and as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, an inlet 1() provided leading -to the evaporating tank and serving not only as a filling opening, but also to admit a constantl supplyof fresh air to the space or passage 9. At its opposite end the chamber or tank is reduced to form a coudaiit. l1. which opens into or' communicab-.s with the lower part: of thc air heating device, shown as a cylindrical metallic chamber 12 closed at its top and bottom` and having at its upper end a tubular outlet 153 which extends into the adjacent wall of the incubating chamber near the top thereof. The conduit 11 is provided with an opening 1st, Fig. 1, leading to the external air, the air h ating chamber 12 beingl located some little distance beyond the nearer end of tlie incubating chamber, as shown. This inlet 11 is controlled by a valve 15 pivoted at 16, and .having an attached weighted arm 1T which normally tends to position the valve as .shown in full lilies, Fig. l, to close the opening 1-1. 'lhe f'alve may be n'iovcd, however, into dotted line position,'

therein a concentric open-endcd tube The walls 19 and 20 torni a species ot chimncy` for the productsot' combustion given off by the lamp L, ot any suitable character, in-v serted at the bottom ofthe heater. The

water chamber inelosed within the walls 18 and 19, the bottoin plate 21, and the top plate is connected at its upper end by a pipe )Il with the radiator, said pipe 23 passing through the hot-air inlet 13, as clearly shown.

lhe hot water eirculatioi'rsystem being properly filled with water, the lamp L is lighted, and as the water in the chamber around the chimney ot' the hot. water heater becomes heated, the circulation of the waterv is set up, the hot Water passing through the inlet 23 to the radiator, and from the radiator it. passes down the pipey 5* and alongl the pipe G back to the water heater. The hot watertraversing the pipe 6 heats the body .That is, heated 'and moist air then passes through the air inlet 1.3 hito the incubating chamber il at one end end near its top. By the construction set forth the incubating chamber is thus heated by thehot water circulation system, and it is also supplied with moist, warm air. '.lhe air in the upper part of the incubatingr chamber lis thus the -warmest, and as the airAcools, it descends 1n the chamber and tlows out through the opening 3, and preferably said opening is liever closed. This provides for a continuous passage of tli'e warm and moisture-laden air 'greater or less extent, according to the through the incubating chamber so`that at all times thc latter is supplied with fresh air, that is, air from the outside. This obviates any objections arising from dead air and greatly adds to the etticiency of the apparatus. The action of the hot 'ater heater is regulated by the conical walls 19, 20, the top ot' the latter havin'g a closure. 2J: which may be raised and lowered by a therniostatie regulator as is usual in ineubators.

lVlien the closure 2i is raisedthe heat from the lamp passes more directly through the inner cone 20 and less heat is transmitted to the water in the surrounding water chamber, but when the closure 24 is lowered, thus closing the top of the cone 20, the heat from the lamp must pass between the walls 19 and 20 and thereby closer to the water which is thus subjected to a greater heating action.

It is necessary to prevent the air in the incubating chamber A from becoming too moist, and I have provided a hygroscopically governed controlling device to automatically' operate the valve 15 so that when the air in the chamber A becomes too moist the valve will be moved morecr less toward dotted line position, Fig. 1, to thus cut ott the admission of `moistureladen air to the air heating chamber 12, while admitting dry air thereto through the inlet` 1.4. The relai tive proportion ofdry and moisture-laden airis thus determined by the position of the valve 15. If the valve is in its full line position, Fig. 1, all ofthe air admitted to the chamber 12 will be moist, whereas if the valve is partly operi, some moist air and some dry air will pass in the said charnber 12. l

The controlling device, as herein shown, comprises two levers 25, 26, pivotally niounted Within the incubating chamber near its end wall 2, and a lever 27 pivoted on the opposite end wall. A cotton cord 28 fixed at one end is attached at its other end to one arm of the lever 25. the other aiiii of said lever being connected by a cotton cord 2f) with the lower arni of the lever 27. 'lhe upper arm of said lever is connected by a cotton cord 30 witlithe. upper arm ot' the lever 2G. and the lower arm of said lever has attached to it a cord or wire 3l. extended through a small opening 32 in thc wall ot the chamber, and attached to a hell crank 3?. in turn connected by a cord or wire 34, with thc weighted valve arm t7. When the air within the cliainher A becomes too moist, the several cords 28, 29 and 30 contract, and as they contract, they tend to draw iii-the direction shown by smalli arrows, Fig. 1, swinging the levers A25,

26 and 27, and acting through the connection 31 to rock the bell crank 33 and exert a pull on the connection 34, which lifts the al'in 17 and deprcsses the valve 15 to a.

amount ol contraction oi the cords. -When the hun'iidit'y of the air ,in the chamber decreases, then the cords of the hygroscopic controlling device lengthen, and the several levers are moved in the reversed direction, so that the hell crank 325 slackcus the con- .nection 34, and the weighted arm t7 litts the valve more or less according to circumstances. Thus a very perfect and automatic control is secured, the heated air supplied to thc incubating chamber heilig more or less moist as the humidity ot the air Vwithin the incubating chamber increases or decreases. respectively.

In order to adjust the controlling device conveniently the bracket 2Tx on which lever 27 is mounted has a threaded shank 35, Fig. 1, passed loosely through a hole in the end wall of the chamber, .anda thun'ih-nut 36 screwed onto the shank acts to draw the latter out more or less, to thereby change the d istanee between levers 25, 2G and the lever 27. Rotative movement of the bracket is irevented by a stop-block' 37 secured to the inner face of the chamber wall alongside the bracket 27".

My invention is not restricted to the pre.-

cise construction and arrangement hereinshown and described, as various changes or modifications may be made in details of construction an d arrangement by those skilled in the art without departing from the spiritaiid scope of my invention as set forth in the claims annexed hereto. l

Having fully described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to Secure by Letters Patent isz- 1. The combination, with an incubating chamber, an external heater, a closed circulation system connected therewith and traversing said chamber, of an air chamber heated by said heater and communicating with the incubating chamber near its top, said air chamber having an inlet for external air, a water chamber outsid'e the incubating chamber and having a fresh air inlet and eornmunicating with said air chamber, the return pipe of thc circulation system travers- `ing the water chamber to heat the Water therein, the moist air passing from th water chamber to the air chamber to be heated, and means including a valve controlling the external air inlet and also the supply of moist air passingT from the water chamber to the air chamber, to vary automatically the quantity of moisture in the heated air supplied to the incubating chamber.

2. The combination with an incubating chamber having an inlet at one cud, near its top, and an outlet at a distance therefrom 1 chamber'.

ucar its bottom, of an air chamber connected inlet, a water-eraporating chamber below the with the inlet, a heater surrounded by said air chamber and connected with a closed system for the circulation of a heating medium and traversingr the incubating chamber, a water-cvaporating chamber having an open inlet for fresh air and'heated by said circulation system, a connection between said evaporating and air chambers, having an inlet for external air, and means controlled by the humidity of the air in the incubating,t chamber to control said connection and the external air inlet thereof and thereby supply the air chamber with moist air from said e 'upm-ating chamber and dry, external air, in varying proportions.

3. The combination with an incubating chamber having an inlet at one end, near itsl top, and an outlet at its opposite end, near its 1 bottom, ot' an air chamber connected with l the inlet, a hot-water heater surrounded by said air chamber and connected with a circulation system, including a radiator within a nd near the top of the incubating chamber, a water-evaporating chamber having an open inlet for fresh air and heated by said circulation system, a conduit leading fronrthe evapora-ting chamber to the air chamber and having an inlet for external Yair a valve to open the conduit and close the inlet, and yice versa, to vary the proportions of moistened and external air admitted to the air chamber, and valve-operatingfineans governed by the humidity of the air in the incubating l i i l 4. The combination with an incubating chamber having an inlet near its top, and an outlet at a distancetherefrom near its bottom, of an air chamber connected with the l incubating chamber and having a freshl air inlet, heatingr means cooperating with the air chamber to heat the air passing therefrom to the incubating chamber and also serving to e yaporate the water in the evaporating chamber, aconduit leading from the air space of the latter'to the air chamber, said conduit having an inlet for dry air, and automatic means governing the conduit and its inlet to vary the proportions of dry and moistened air passing from the conduit to said air chamber according to the humidity of the air in the incubating chamber.

5. The combination, with an incubating chamber, and heating means for the interior thereof, of an inclosed Water chamber below the incubating chamber and having' an open inlet forthe admission of fresh air, means to effect evaporation Aof the watera'nd thereby to moisten the air passing through said Water chamber, means to-heat such moistenedair and supply it to the incubating chamber near the top thereof, a conduit connecting said meansand the water chamber, vsaid conduit vhaving an inlet for dry air, and a device ,governed by the moisture of the air in the incubating'chamber to control the conduit and its-dry air inlet and thereby vary the moisture in the heatedair supplied to said incubatingphamber.

In testimony whereof, I have signedmy name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILBUR E. MAYNARD.

lVitnesses i Bessin G. MORRIS, THOMAS J. DRUMMOND, 

